Into my bloodstream
by snitchesgetstitchesbitches
Summary: In order to ensure the safety of his home city, Prompto makes a sacrifice: he gets engaged to the Chancellor of Niflheim. (Forced Marriage AU)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: so it begins**

"What?" I ask again because surely I must have heard wrong. I slap my ears with both hands and stare quite openly at Ignis who won't look at me, instead his bespectacled gaze is focused somewhere on the horizon.

We're in my crappy apartment, he is standing with his back pressed against the wall, arms crossed tightly in front of his chest while I sit on the couch, the phone game I had been playing with- until the words I never wanted to hear come out of his mouth actually did- is paused. The phone now rests on my lap; my hands hang uselessly at my sides and why the hell is Specs so silent? The afternoon light coming in from the windows give his glasses an annoying glint that doesn't allow me to see the emotion in his eyes.

"I think I have already made it clear enough" he says at once, strained and unnaturally calm for the topic we're discussing. Or well, more like the bomb he dropped on me with no consideration whatsoever.

Fuck that, I think. "Yeah, but I think I'm going to have to hear it again" I retort using the tone I know sounds particularly annoying "Because I'm not sure I heard you quite right and if I did, Gods help me-"

He clicks his tongue and rudely cuts me off, effectively repeating that simple sentence that makes me want to throw something out the window. _Him_ , preferably.

"Noctis is getting married"

I can't help it.

"Ignis, what the fuck?"

There is really no other answer for that. What the actual fuck? "What on Eos… Seriously, if you're messing with me, I'll tell Gladio the truth about who really ate his noodles" I threaten lightly, deciding to think that this is a very elaborate and messed up joke to mess with me.

Yes, it has to be. I huff and grab the phone again in my hands. Silly, Iggy, thinking he can ruffle my feathers like this; he'll have another thing coming his way. I hear him sigh tiredly from the other side of the room.

"Prompto…" he begins but I'm having none of his shit and turn up the volume of my game, humming the chocobo song so I can tune him out. This seems to piss him off, because the next thing I know, the phone is slapped out of my hands and I'm face to face with a dead serious Ignis Scientia. His advisor side is on full mode right now and somewhere inside me, I feel something shatter.

I swallow nothing, drop my gaze to my gloved fingers, stare at the dark colors that remind me so much of the guy I-

"Tell me you're lying, please" I beg for the last time, the strange sense of loss I had experienced the whole day now made perfect sense.

Ignis, slowly, gently, as if he's dealing with a frightened animal that would flee at the slightest provocation, rests his hand on my shoulder. Normally, this would comfort me but at the moment it feels strangely cold. I feel strangely cold.

"I wish I was" he mutters. _Noctis is getting married,_ is what I hear in loops, over and over, an eternal cycle of a sequence of words I cannot understand when they are put together like that. I see blue eyes, the most beautiful shade I've ever seen looking back at me with poorly concealed affection. I see hands, the hands of a king taking me by the wrists and tickling at my sides so I will surrender the game controller. I see his laugh, the one few people have been blessed with the opportunity to witness, his crinkled eyes as he keels over at one of the really bad jokes that come naturally out of me. I see his tranquil, sleeping face from that time we had a catastrophic sleepover when we were sixteen and I also see what happened previous to that, his drunken expression as he pressed an alcohol filled kiss to my unmoving lips. And I see him, barely a week ago, pushing me inside an empty room in the palace and leaving temporary proof of the claim he has over me: a red bruise on my neck that even now, when it's changed colors to purple, still itches under the black turtleneck he gifted me on my eighteenth birthday.

Shit, _shit, shit, shit, shit_. My lower lip quivers and I bite it, put all my strength into it until I can taste salt and metal. I should have known, should have expected something like this to happen. It was too good to be true, yet I believed like the stupid boy who had received a letter and thought himself important that at the least, I could have this. Years and years of pining and dreaming made me foolish enough to think we would have stayed together. He got under my skin and I let the illusion blind me to everything else.

I sigh, take a deep breath, my heart weakly beating inside me. "When did it…" Pathetic. I can't even bring myself to ask the full question. I clear my throat and try again "When was it decided?"

"This morning. The Chancellor of Niflheim came by himself apparently and offered King Regis a deal he could not afford to refuse. The Empire will cease their attacks on Insomnia, as long as every other territory in Lucis is surrendered to them and the Prince agrees to marry Lady Lunafreya from Tenebrae as a symbol of the new formed peace between our nations"

"And of course, His Highness accepted" I fill in. I hate how small my voice sounds.

"Yes" Ignis agrees quietly.

To Lady Lunafreya, huh? It's not surprising at all. Of course it would be her. What better choice than her? The kind, young and gorgeous Oracle of the people, the messenger between Humans and Gods. The perfect fit for Noctis.

I remember the small upturn of his lips as he read the message she had sent him, the light almost unnoticed blush covering his cheeks. The careful stroke of his pencil on paper as he wrote an equally careful answer. The way he would get all pensive and nostalgic when he spoke about her. How flustered he would get when Gladio, Ignis and I (swallowing the bitter pill of my jealousy) teased him about him having a crush on her, writing to each other passionate loves letters throughout the years-we'd jokingly ask him when were they due to marry.

Now, here it is. All joking aside, the time has come for them to get truly married. I guess it is true what they say about being careful of what you wish for, or what you say because It might come true. Naïve Prompto. Stupid Prompto. You got fooled for the last time.

"When?"

I honestly don't want to know, half of me has given up on this entire conversation and wishes only to hide in my room and melt into a puddle of heartbroken feelings. The other half wants to know so I can see how much time I have left to get a grip and get my shit together.

Ignis hand, the one on my shoulder, shakes a bit "The terms are still being discussed. They'll have to settle on an agreement and after that, they will have to make the official announcement of the engagement"

Okay. Snorting, I fiddle with the leather bracelets on my left wrist. I still avoid Ignis's gaze, creating imaginary holes on the surface of my pants because I can't seem to cope with the knowledge that my first love is about to marry someone else. Not that I had great expectations about our relationship either, but I had hoped…

I shake my head, right hand goes to grab the wrist of Ignis's hand, the one touching me and I squeeze with shaky fingers. All the while I feel my eyes get moist, my breathing slow, my thought flow get even more messy than usual.

"Prompto," Ignis says, kneeling down to my level to try and catch my lowered eyes "Whatever it is you and Noctis-"

"I know!" I exclaim, a smile creeping onto my face "I know, Ignis, You don't have to tell me. It's over. He's royalty and I'm a commoner, blah, blah, blah. It's not like we were going to get married or anything, anyway"

Too much for not being bitter. I might as well wear a sign saying 'I'm a fool, I thought I was the main character in a videogame and got slapped right in the face'. But the thing is, it hurts so much. And I don't know what to do to make it go away. I want to cry, I want to scream, I want to roll on the floor and I don't know, smother myself with the pillows.

"Do not get sarcastic with me, Prompto Argentum" he says and I want to laugh in his face. He sounds so much like the mother I never had and it makes me so mad. "I know that to you, it was much more than just messing around"

Nails dig in his skin where the glove does not cover it "Whatever it meant for me, Ignis, does not matter anymore. He's getting married; I should have seen this coming from miles away. Poor Prompto, boohoo. Can we move on now?"

"No" he denies "Because you do care and it is killing you inside"

Funny, Ignis was Noctis's friend first, so why does he know me so well? Almost like we have known each other our entire lives. He sees right through me like he would right through a window.

"What do you want me to say? What do you want me to do?"

At this, he seems speechless which is weird for him and says a lot about my current situation. His mouth opens minimally, then closes again. His frown deepens; he's probably organizing his ideas inside his head.

"I am sorry" he tells me at last, and his hand moves from my shoulder to take mine. Gods, I want to cry so badly but I'm ashamed to do it in front of the man who has become family to me.

"What do you have to be sorry for, dude? It's not your fault. If anything the one who should be apologizing-"

Oh.

I realize in that moment I have not asked the most important question. The beginning of a headache starts to take over, and I feel a tick moving at the corner of my right eye. Boy, am I mad. Red is all I see when I say "Does he know?" my voice must be acid enough to let Ignis know who I'm referring to because he swallows guiltily and his eyes drift from mine for a second.

"Yes, he knows he is getting married. Otherwise the negotiations wouldn't have started"

"Ah. So he sent you instead of coming here himself and saying it to my face?"

Imbecile, dumb, noob, nerd, thickheaded Noctis Lucis Caelum!

I untangle my hand from Ignis's and stand up, all the blood rushing madly to my forehead where a vein throbs persistent. One thing is the marriage itself which I can't really hold against him because it's not like he chose it and while it may or may not tear me apart, I have no reason to get mad at him for it. But another thing entirely is to not dare to show up his mug around here and break himself whatever it was that he started.

I move to the door where I left my boots and put them on violently, shoving my feet harshly in them. Ignis quickly comes up behind me, his footsteps resound in the quietness of my home.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I snap "Putting my goddamn shoes on"

"Don't assume things on your own. You don't know what Noctis must be feeling-"

"Well, whatever he must be feeling," I grumble, directing a serious look to Ignis "I want to actually hear it from the man himself. Take me to the Citadel"

Ignis's frown lines deepen and I almost fear he might stay that way forever if he keeps doing it.

"Prompto, tread with caution. Don't do anything reckless you or Noctis might regret later"

"What is the worse that could happen?" This time I can't keep the sarcasm from rolling out of my mouth "He has already got himself engaged" After this, I open the door without a second thought and a disgruntled advisor following close behind.

* * *

I walk, shoulders squared and chest puffed and nerves eating me alive. I try to look calm but my hands shake, my knees almost give out with every step I take. Ignis is hot on my heels, most likely to make sure we don't cause a ruckus or something equally embarrassing. Everyone in this place already knows me by now so no one is surprised to see me strolling around as if I own the palace.

We arrive at Noctis's room just to find it empty of any prince-like presence. This will take a while, I realize and curse whoever made this place as big as it is. It would be ridiculous to scout out every room, it would take me at least two lifetimes to check them all and even then it's unlikely that I'd find him.

Ignis clicks his tongue "If he is not here, the probability that he might be training with Gladio is high"

"And if he isn't?"

I try to think of all the parts of the palace I've been to with him but at the moment none come to mind-it's all a jumble of feelings and new games and movies-and for some reason what comes up is the chocobo song again. I'm not obsessed or anything, just…. Chocobos are great, okay?

"Prompto?" Iggy breaks me out of my internal monologue. "Are you alright?"

"Ehhh" I rub the back of my neck sheepishly "I was just thinking. I got distracted for a bit" More than just distracted but eh, what can I say "Anyway, let's go find his Royal Asshole"

"That… probably sounded much better inside your head" Ignis says dryly, clearly not impressed at my display of passive-aggressiveness.

Most of the time I lose control over the filter between my brain and mouth so um, he's right. "It did sound better in my head" I admit before we exit Noctis's room and head to the wherever he is supposed to be at this hour.

We don't find him anywhere. Thirty minutes roll by without a clue of where he could be, walking in circles like we're playing a very boring game of cat and mouse. It is only when we decide to pass by the throne room that we actually find the sneaky guy. He's talking with Gladio, his back is to us and they seem to be discussing about something in very heated tones. From what I can see of Gladio's face, I would definitely not want to be the recipient of the look he's giving Noctis, whose arms are raised in the air as he tries to get his point across. I have only seen him act so upset whenever he argues with the other man.

I stop in the middle of the hallway, Ignis is by my side but somehow it feels as if he's miles away. In front of me lays the broken dream, the broken hope, the broken everything. Truth is I don't want it to be over. Despite the mess we've made, he is still my best friend. No matter how well I get along with Gladio and Ignis or even anyone else, Noctis is the one who knows me best. Inside out and no, I don't mean it in a sexual way (though that would have been nice too). He accepted me when no one else had and… great, now I'm hesitating. I know why. I'm afraid that after this conversation our relationship could change for the worse. This can either go awkward normal, or skyrocket and it's crash and burn for us.

I inhale deeply, willing myself to be brave and get this over and done with.

I walk forward.

Gladio's is going to yell something; I can tell but then his eyes raise and focus on me finally. His pupils widen. Here goes nothing. His lips press tightly and he grabs Noctis by the shoulders, turns him around so he is facing me and-I'm not ready for this.

I'm already seeing him in his wedding attire, looking handsome as ever, his black hair styled back and those eyes and smiles that should be only for me directed at someone else, at the beautiful Lunafreya whom I envy so much. Dressed in white she walks towards him and they look perfect together. Everyone would stare in admiration, wishing they someday could find their perfect match yet knowing they could never hope to achieve their level of perfection.

I bite the inside of my cheek, tasting blood. Noctis's image fades back to the present time, he's dressed in his normal clothes, all black and his hair spiked up; however he looks awful. His face is red-I think it's because of his discussion with Gladio-, there are dark eye bags underneath his stormy blue orbs making it look like he hasn't slept in days. His lips look red bitten, that little habit he has whenever he gets nervous –

Why am I staring at his lips? Focus, Prompto.

"Noctis"

"Prompto"

We say each other's names at the exact same time and when this happens, we try again only to repeat the same action for at least three times. I close my mouth with a 'clang' and feel my cheeks heat up. Jeez, talk about awkward. I was not wrong about that part at least. Already foreseeing we'll be stuck doing this until someone dares to break the silence with something different from our names, I say "Congratulations on your marriage"

My inflexion is happy but it can't be any more artificial. The words are foreign and poisounous, they scald my throat.

To his credit, Noctis doesn't flinch, merely stares at me blankly "Thank you" he answers, and falls silent again.

He doesn't say anything else, and his expression shifts from taken off guard to completely uninterested in the conversation.

That's it?

THAT'S IT?

Thank you and what else?

I ask exactly that. Noctis raises a brow, crosses his arms in front of his chest, looks at me like I'm another stranger, one of those kids that gazed at him with poorly hidden awe we'd make fun of in our high school days. What is this? I wonder and feel my stomach twist.

"What do you want from me, Prompto? An invitation to the wedding?" He is cold and distant, none of the things I ever imagined I'd associate with him. The sarcastic comment makes my blood boil again. How dare he?

"Screw you, I want an explanation." I demand, feeling my temper rise.

"Do you not know what a marriage is?"

"It's not the marriage I want to know about. And even if I did, you're the stupid one for thinking that-Wait, that doesn't make sense. Whatever. What I want to know is why you sent Ignis to talk to me instead of moving your cowardly ass to end what you started"

"What I started? I started nothing"

"Bullshit. Or do you just kiss anyone because YOLO?"

"What if I do? Does that concern you in any way?

"Dude, you kissed me. You started it. What happened-"

"What supposedly happened between us, it means nothing."

Ignis and Gladio watch our exchange as if they're on a tennis match, moving their heads from one side to the other.

"You're lying, you spoiled rich boy. You kissed me for a reason, you can't just deny it like it never happened and treat me like this"

"Maybe I kissed you because I pitied you" when he says this, whatever argument I was going to make dies instantly on the tip of my tongue. I recoil as if he had slapped me. Hell, if he had slapped me, it would have been less painful than his words just now.

My eyes widen like saucers and I stare at this frenzied looking stranger that's wearing my best friends' (my Noctis') face and his clothes and his skin and his beautiful whole being. Something deep and dark and sad coils inside me and I take a step back.

Ignis reaches out for me but I slap his hand away. Noctis for his part suddenly opens his jaw as if understanding the magnitude of what he has just said and begins to stutter, scramble for words to feed me excuses or whatever and I'm not really in the mood to listen to him.

"I-I didn't mean that, Prompto, I'm sorry"

What he was going to say next, I'll never know because right then the doors to the throne room open and out comes King Regis, his entire ensemble of advisors and a tall unknown man trailing behind them.

All the words Noctis was going to tell me die unpronounced.

Nocts, Gladio, Ignis and I, we all freeze when we see this guy. To use the word eccentric to describe this new addition would be an understatement. I would dare even say he's… ominously creepy. It must be because of the hat or the ridiculous amount of frills he has on his clothes. I purse my lips in utter distaste, my argument with Noctis not forgotten but taking a backseat at the moment. This man, he must be the Chancellor of Niflheim.

He's holding a very unilateral conversation with the King, who looks the opposite of amused. The chatter stops however when they see us standing in the hall. I immediately straighten up and salute Noctis's father before bowing slightly. Ignis and Gladio do the same while Noctis stares with open hostility at the one I assumed to be The Chancellor. The one who ruined my life by extending a deal to the King.

Our eyes meet and a spark of interest flash in those eerie hazel eyes. Nope, I turn my gaze to the floor and hope for his attention to be caught by far more interesting than me things.

"Ah, Chancellor Izunia, I guess you have not met my son as of yet" The King says then- thank the Gods-, the tone he's using implies there is nothing he would rather do less than introduce Noctis to this man. He gestures to the frozen figure of Noctis "This is my son, Noctis"

The weird man smiles and boy is it not nice. When he and Noctis cross stares I swear I feel the air drop at least five degrees, goose bumps cover my arms and I rub them, feeling awkward and wondering what am I doing there at this point.

"The future husband of our dear Oracle" the Chancellor greets jovial enough but there is something incredibly off in the way he says this "It's good to meet you at last. Ardyn Izunia, at your service"

"Nice to meet you as well"

Okay, I might be mad as hell with him but all the kudos go to Noctis right now for holding in his displeasure as best as he can.

"You must be quite glad at the arrangement your father and I have just made. Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrae is certainly a beauty worthy of praise and I have heard you and her are considerably fond of each other"

There goes my lunch, I think as I feel my stomach do a dance beneath my skin. Thank you and fuck you, is what I feel like yelling at this sick man for reminding me of the whole source of my problems. He's obviously getting some kind of kick out of this. I don't trust him at all. Besides, he's from Niflheim; at this thought the barcode on my wrist burns lightly and I reach with my other hand to scratch it.

This day sucks.

"I'm ecstatic" Noctis responds, his tone at odds with the supposed happiness he's feeling.

King Regis has good instincts, because he notices at once the strange atmosphere surrounding them and chooses to wisely dissolve it, forcing their attentions somewhere else. "These are Gladiolus Amicitia and Ignis Scientia, Noctis's future shield and advisor" he signals to them and they trade greetings with this Ardyn Izunia guy.

Meanwhile, I try to fade into the background and pray nobody notices my presence, slowly inching away from them. This backfires terrible. The Chancellor of Niflheim quick as lightning turns his heavy stare from Ignis and Gladio and yes, centers it on me. I feel all my alarms go wild inside my head and I stop moving. The marked arm goes instantly behind my back, as if I'm shielding myself from discovery but that's impossible. There is no way he knows…Right?

His eyes seize me up, doing a whole body scan. It's uncomfortable, I feel a full body shiver run through me and the desperate need to claw at my skin gets unbearable. Never in my twenty years of age have I ever experienced anyone looking at me in such an invasive manner, without shame or hesitation. I shift my weigh from one foot to the other, my palms sweating rivers and I give a tentative smile because maintaining a façade in this type of situations is important.

The King's eyes widen minimally, noticing my being there for the first time. Gee, glad to know I'm that memorable.

"And who might you be?" the slimy man asks. The smile turns into a smirk, and I swallow nothing, wanting to run away far, far, away from this guy. I look desperately to the other people in the hallway in search of some support, even when it still isn't clear why I'd need support in the first place. But everyone else looks uncomfortable, not knowing either what to do with themselves.

At last, King Regis steps forward as my savior and prevents me from speaking directly to this man "He is Prompto Argentum. My son's…" And why the hell not, he drifts off suspiciously at the end of the sentence. His eyes fly to Noctis who's on my left side. What is going on? Is it so hard to say the word friend?

"… friend" he completes his statement before looking at the Chancellor again. That was so not natural; The Chancellor seems to pick up on this. He repeats the word 'friend' and it sounds far creepier than when the King said it.

I nod, gaze falling at the floor beneath me. That is when suddenly, a hand enters my field of vision. I look up startled to find myself face to face with Ardyn Izunia, who I swear on my life wasn't this disturbingly close to me a second ago. I can't help but flinch, staring wearily at the hand being offered to me. He hadn't done this with Noctis, Ignis or Gladio. What's so special about me? But then, I see the somber faces of the King's advisors and I know I can't mess this up, despite my increasing want to slap this man on his nasty face. Technically, the peace treaty has not been made official yet, so no one can afford any screws up unless they want to terribly offend the Empire and destroy any opportunity of stopping the war, at least momentarily. We're all forced to play in this man's game until it's all over and settled.

So I breathe in deep and shake his hand, ignoring my natural reaction of repulsion "Pleased to meet you, Chancellor Izunia" I smile more widely. My cheeks hurt from the exaggerated effort.

The fingers wrapped around my hand squeeze strongly, I can already feel the imprints his digits will leave behind. His expression is… not good. "You may call me by my name, _'friend'_ of the prince. And believe me, _the pleasure is all mine_ "

I hear a sound similar to someone choking coming from the left. From the corner of my eye I catch Noctis glaring daggers at the Niflheim representative. The man for some unknown, fucked up reason hasn't let go of my hand. He holds it tight as he turns his head around to speak to the King.

"I hope it is of no inconvenience to you if I remain here in Insomnia longer than expected. I promise I won't do anything that would jeopardize our agreement"

"It is no problem at all" Answers automatically the King. He can't look less enthused about it but nothing can be done about it. Like I said, it's either follow his rules or… well, I don't even want to think of the alternative.

Anyhow, all I want to know is when his revolting hand will let go of me, thank you very much. I hope it happens some time soon. Albeit my hopes prove futile when his other hand covers mine, rests on the back of my palm and engulfs it fully in his grasp. Well, shit. Discreetly, I try to disengage myself from this awkward handshake that has turned into something far more worrying. He gives me a sharp smirk "Nevertheless, I'll need a guide to show me the way in this foreign city. Otherwise, I might get lost. You, on the other hand, seem to be quite knowledgeable in this particular matter. Would you care too much to enlighten me?"

"Excuse me?" blinking idiotically, I struggle to digest what he has just told me. He can't possibly be implying what I think he is…

I have a bad feeling about this.

"I'm asking you to be my guide, Prompto Argentum"

"WHAT?!"

Nevermind, fuck my life.

* * *

 _ **A/N: If you liked it, don't forget to leave comment :) Feedback is very much appreciated.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Man, I hate how I wrote this chapter. I'll probably end up rewriting in the future. I promise the third chapter will be better than this :/  
**

* * *

 **chapter 2: oh, sweet pain**

Spreading below is the glorious Crown City, shining bright against the dark backdrop of the night sky. Lights blink lazily at me-I hear the roar of life and civilization thriving underneath and wonder how on Eos the view is so different from the windows of my shitty apartment. Here, chin propped on my crossed arms over the windowsill, the wind brushing the hair back from my face, standing at I don't know how many feet away from the ground, everything feels more… majestic somehow. Not that Insomnia is any less pretty if you look at it from my home but for some reason, it can't compare to what it feels like being up here, in the palace. It's like watching a harmonic system on the works while you are on the center of the entire thing.

A chuckle escapes me.

Jeez, I'm being way too philosophical tonight and not even one drink has slipped past my lips.

I straighten up, push a few stray hairs from my face and distance myself from the windowsill. The expensive furniture typical of this environment I'm currently in greets my eye. To be honest, what I'm most interested right now is the beautiful, soft looking bed that is unfairly provoking me. The sheets, the pillows, the enormity of it-my cheap bed pales in comparison, it's not even a contest to begin with.

I jump on it, clothes and all, my back bounces thrice until finally melting into the criminally comfortable mattress. Eyes closed, arms splayed out on both sides of my head, I run through the catastrophic events of this terrible Sunday.

( _"WHAT" I repeat again, loud and not giving two fucks about how noisy I must be acting right now. I blink confusedly, try to retreat my hand but Ardyn's grip just won't budge, dammit! I can't help but look at Noctis-his gaze is trained on the man's bigger hand engulfing mine and I can see a muscle ticking on his jaw, his blue eyes have turned a dark shade I have only seen once a long time ago. Gladio takes an unplanned step forward but Ignis keeps him put by gripping his bicep like a vice, his mouth a thin line._

 _"I want you to show me your home city" Answers the chancellor, entirely nonplussed by my affronted behavior. If anything, it looks like my reaction made him feel surer of himself, the bastard._

 _I.. Is this a trick question?_

 _Noctis's dad walks to the man's side. He puts a hand on his shoulder, prompting him (pun not intended) to let go of me in a very subtle way. Thank you! Seriously, why am I not in love with this man that has done more for me than Noctis has in these last couple of minutes? Ardyn's smile turns tighter and he lets go of me, unnecessarily slow. I sigh in relief and look disbelieving at my purple fingers; the blood flow retained on the tip of them. I massage them immediately to get the blood running down again, doing my best to not glare at motherfucking Ardyn Izunia who has no respect for personal space and handshakes apparently._

 _"I think the better option would be to let either Ignis or Gladiolus accompany you, Chancellor" he looks pointedly at me "I'm sure Prompto must be preoccupied with other things"_

 _I begin to nod frantically but Ardyn does not even pay me attention "I'd be hard pressed to see your point. Your Highness just told me Ignis and Gladiolus-pardon my informalities-are meant to become not only members of the Crownsguard but the prince's trusted advisor and shield, correct? Then, I'm most certain they must have to attend to more serious matter than chaperoning me around the city. I would hate to keep them from their duties" He finished with that smirk I want to punch the living daylights out of his face._

 _The nerve he has! Not satisfied with defying the King he has to go and mock me when he knows shit about me, as if because I'm a commoner my time is less important than Gladio or Ignis's. And okay, he might be partly right, they can't exactly go parading just because but that doesn't mean that I'm any less important, that my time is any less important, that he can order me just for being 'below' him. Fuck him._

 _The worst is that technically, he can. The worst is that I have to swallow down every of the words circling in my head because I can't ruin this chance. My wounded pride will have to take a back seat and chill. Also… he was not entirely wrong either. I'm actually not doing anything and when I say anything, I mean it. Let's just say for now I took a 'temporary leave' from Uni and none of my friends know, not even Noctis- I've made everything possible for no one to know and I'd rather it stay like that, a shameful secret on the back of my mind._

 _Then I think of the conversation that took place prior to them walking out of the throne room. I think of Noctis's cold glare, his unfeeling voice as he basically told me to go fuck myself, since he never liked me and I am now nothing to him. It still hasn't sunk in, the ridiculous scene but I know that the moment I step outside the gates, the moment I climb down the stairs and I'm taken back to my home, I know that is when it will hit me, when I'll truly process it, and I'll torture myself over and over thinking of his words, of his rejection. I don't want to have to deal with that because I'm afraid of what will happen to me when I do._

 _I look at Ardyn, at his expectant hazel eyes and strong features. Objectively speaking, ignoring his asshole mannerisms, the fact that he destroyed my life and the awful vibes he gives off, he could almost pass for an okay guy, and he's not that bad to look at (again, objectively speaking). I look at him and know what I have to choose. In the end, it doesn't matter how much I may dislike this man-right now, I would choose to be in his company ten times over if it means that I can get a distraction from this mess with Noctis or at least avoid him for a while so he can't deliver the finishing blow._

 _So before Ignis or Gladio-whom I see discreetly edging closer, their mouths about to open to probably try and convince the chancellor –do anything about it, I speak up "Erm, actually, turns out that I have nothing to do tomorrow?"_

 _Damn, that came out like a question. I wince and see Ardyn rise one brow at me. I hurry to explain "I mean, yeah I could take you around the city" He looks so smug I have to add this "Anything to see the agreement through"_

 _I feel justified in saying that but I hear Gladio groaning behind me, Ignis sighing exaggeratedly and Noctis snorting while the King gives me that kind of look people give you on the street when you do something like oh, you know, trying to walk through a wall. Which means I did something stupid. Well, I can see then why he wanted Gladio or Ignis to be with the chancellor, I'm shit at this whole political business. Whatever though, kudos to me for trying at least. I don't see anyone else putting their hands on the fire for this. Thus I ignore them and maintain eye contact with Ardyn Izunia. He chuckles but doesn't comment on what I just said in the way I thought he would "Certainly. Besides, I don't see a problem since the quicker the announcement is made, the sooner the celebrations will begin. The last thing on people's minds will be studying. I'm sure you'd agree with me, wouldn't you?"_

 _I flinch; the phantom feeling of a slap overwhelms me. My fake smile keeps plastered on my face though._

 _"Right" I say weakly and clench tightly the fist behind my back, the damned wrist throbs and it's hard not to turn and look at Noctis like the lovesick fool I am._

 _We stay like that for an eternity-me staring hopelessly at the chancellor and him scanning my tortured, sweaty face. The longer I stare, the more I feel like I'm staring into a deep abyss. Is everyone in Niflheim like this? Guess that if I'm lucky, I'll never have to know._

 _Interrupting the awkward standoff, King Regis says "It's settled then._ _ **Prompto Argentum**_ _will serve as your guide during your stay in Insomnia" The way he says my name, though. It feels like I'm being indirectly scolded by my father. If Noctis's dad was my father that is. This is getting weird. Shaking my head, I look at the floor and listen as the topic of conversation shifts to the Chancellors's sleeping quarters. His arrival had come out of the fucking blue so no one had prepared anything in advance. Thank Gods the palace has like four thousand of rooms available and I'm sure one can be spared for the purple haired man (is his hair purple? Red? What the actual hell, no one has hair that color- is it dyed?). The King says something along the lines of showing Ardyn to his room to which the chancellor replies by making a very mocking input about the King being extremely welcoming to strangers. I'm not really listening at this point; the loud beat of my heart won't let me._

 _I retreat into the safe house of my mind where my nerves try to chase after me. I stand in the middle of the hallway, frozen and locked inside my head. Because of this, I don't notice the King and Ardyn resume the tour or whatever it is that they had been doing before seeing me and the guys and when I dare to come back to the real world it's already too late. Silk or something similar to it rubs my arm as it passes, a brush of a naked elbow with a clothed one, bare fingers touch minimally, the small hairs on my arms stand on end. The Niflheim representative is walking by me! I feel my entire body turn to an iceberg as our shoulders bump; I swear I see him smile creepily at me before he disappears from my line of sight. The exuberating smell of strong cologne invades my nostrils and the hand that made contact with his tingles slightly, still recalling the instant ten seconds ago when he stood unbearably close to me._

 _Shiiit, what was that about?_

 _I hold in the shivers, look with big worried eyes at the King that also walks by me but, differently from Ardyn, he does not invade my personal space nor seems to ignore the wide dimensions of the hallway that allow him to move without brushing against anybody. He doesn't look at me, however. He merely throws a glance over his shoulder at Noctis that looks as frozen as I feel. This is enough to shake him into action and my…. And Noctis trots to his father's side without making any sound. For a moment, our eyes meet and I'm again back in his arms, making out in his room, not knowing how to tell him I have loved him since the first time we met in middle school, my chubby hand clasped in his slender one and those beautiful orbs stealing every semblance of rationality out of me._

 _We, us, everything happened so fast, that now that I think about it we never actually sat down and talked about what was going on between us, we just let it be. I let it be._

 _Noctis is the one that breaks our staring contest, his face a mask of indifference as he turns his back on me and follows the King's ensemble with Ardyn and his dad leading. My stupid, traitorous heart constricts painfully in my chest and I search for Ignis through blurry eyes, hoping he'll comfort me or help me. I don't even know what I want anymore. What I find is Ignis saying something to Gladio in a low voice, so low I'm not able to hear him, just see the quick movements of his lips as he forms words. Great time to remember I suck at reading lips. His hand is on Gladio's shoulder and both their expressions are grim. Once he's done, his hand drops from the taller man's shoulder and he leaves me alone with Gladio in the hallway, walking in the same direction the now small figures of Noctis and his father have taken._

 _Gaze chasing after Ignis, I have a strong urge to claw at my arms (at the wrist), rip them open until I can see the white bone underneath. I'm clearly not in the best mental state I could be in. I bury my face on my leather clad palms and do that thing that involves half sobbing, half laughing, half hysterical acting. I sense movement to my left._

 _"Prompto…" Gladio says softly and okay, he is only soft 20% of the time and it usually has to do with his sister, Iris, so that means this is serious. He considers me pathetic enough to treat me this way. Great._

 _A hand falls in between my shoulder blades and pats me awkwardly, palm completely open and heavy. It hurts me more than what it does comforting me but it's the thought that counts-my mouth involuntarily turns up in a smile. Gods, is this how Gladio treats Iris when she's down? Then I can see why she prefers to unwind with Ignis than with her own brother, he's clearly not used to this._

 _"I'm really sorry, Noctis can be-"_

 _"Gladio, it's okay" I lower my hands and show him my sad excuse of a smile."He's obviously done with me. I mean, seriously why did I even bother coming here? I knew how it would end from the start"_

 _The tattooed man shakes his head "It's not okay. The way he acted was cowardly and idiotic. He should've-"_

 _"He should have ended things, I know"_

 _Gladio grunts, he has run out of patience with me "Would you stop interrupting me, pretty please? Before I hit you?"_

 _I shrug, shoulders tensed and lips pursed._

 _"The future King can be an asshole. You should know that better than most, you're his best friend after all" I open my mouth to retort but I remember the impending threat and close it "I'm not putting up excuses for him, if that's what you're thinking. All I'm going to say is that wasn't the way to do things. You did not deserve that, especially if he was the one who started it. He owed you that much"_

 _"But?" I lick my dry lips, shaking where I stand._

 _" 'But' what?"_

 _"Up till now, I've heard you and Specs talk about how he was wrong cutting me off like he did or criticize how he acted towards me" I examine his scarred face, searching for that sign of disapproval I've been expecting to see from the time Noctis and I climbed on this sinking ship._

 _"And? What about it?"_

 _"What would you have done in his place?" I ask abruptly. The way he's looking at me as I voice the question is the way he'd look at a kicked puppy on the roadside. His wide fingers on my back are warm and a welcome weight but at the same time they feel like a burden. I swallow and ignoring my wounded everything, I continue "Would you have rejected me? Would you have chosen to-to- to"_

 _My throat closes off, I feel a tie wind inside it preventing me from expressing my disconnected thoughts but Gladio seems to understand anyway. "Honestly?" he asks and he sounds exhausted, a tired dad dealing with his unruly children. I nod but hold my breath for impact because I know he is not one to be merciful in anything he does. He might be kind and soft when there's need but he's not one for babying anyone, not even me._

 _"Honestly"_

 _"I wouldn't have started it. Noctis is a grown up man, he ought to know it wouldn't have gone anywhere. Engaging in a relationship with you would have only led to the both of you being hurt in the end. And it did, sort of. If he had been anyone else, sure, why not. Be corny idiots together, no problem. But he is the prince and he has responsibilities to see through. And…"_

 _He drifts off. I'm already holding in the tears pooling at my eyes. Gods, he didn't pull back any punches, it hurts like I was just stabbed by a mad Garulessa a dozen times in the exact same spot. He's not finished though, so I breathe in deep._

 _"I know you'd prefer to hear this part from him directly rather than from me but even you must know he loves her"_

 _Ah, there it is. Sweet, sweet pain, drown me in your clear waters for I don't think I can resist you any longer. Yes, I want to say. Yes, of course I know. There is no way in this world that I would miss Noctis's feelings for the Oracle, how long he has held a touch for her, how long he has yearned for her company. I'm the one that is an outsider; I'm the one standing between him and his dream._

 _"I'm not stupid, Gladio. I'm very aware of what he feels for Lady Lunafreya"_

 _She was the one who brought us together, now she is the one taking him from me. If I hated her my life would be easier, but how can I hate her when she's so.. so kind, so pure hearted, the perfect match for my beloved Noctis?_

 _He clasps me by the shoulders, tightly as if keeping me tied to the now "Prompto, I'm not saying he doesn't love you. And I don't blame you either for what happened. He would have to be incredibly oblivious to not have noticed how much he means to you or how much it would have destroyed you if he decided to end things. So I blame him for still doing it anyway"_

 _He tells me more things but my ears have stopped working. It's ironic how every word uttered by him just now has made me feel worse, has cemented the fact that this was a foolish thing to do, that everyone knew how I felt and yet… Was everybody laughing at me? Were they all looking at me so obviously in love with the prince and made fun of my feelings? Did they joke about how dumb it was of me to expect anything from him? I hate this so much! I lean my forehead against Gladio's broad shoulder, tears sliding slowly at last. He stops talking, the hands on my shoulders hover there, unsure of how to proceed. He has made a terrible job of it, of this whole comforting deal but I'm satisfied with his presence alone. That's what counts. That's all that matters. He decided to stay with me._

 _I break down with him as my only support…)_

After that moment of vulnerability in the hallway, he walked me to the room I usually stay in when Noctis invited me to sleepover-I say invited because I don't see that happening again anytime soon-given that I don't see the point in leaving if I'll have to return tomorrow to take Chancellor Asshole on that little trip around the city. And I have basically stayed cocooned here for the rest of the day. When Ignis came by to tell me to join them at dinner I told him I wasn't really hungry and that I preferred to stay inside and have some juice, fed him some bullshit lie like that. He stared at me in obvious disbelief but said nothing else and left me to my own devices.

Since then, I've been driving myself insane buried in my own misery, trying to sort out how I feel and what I'm supposed to do next. Laying on the bed, I have managed to see the events from a more objective point of view, more or less, and I have come to the conclusion that despite my reluctance to do so I'll have to speak to Noctis somehow. This is nowhere near over.

As I think that, I hear a confident knock on the door. Immediately, I bounce up, hair ruffled and messy, locks falling over my eyes. I rub the back of my fists on my tired eyes and wonder who on Eos could be knocking on my door at this hour. I've already had my quota of heart to heart's for the day filled so I'm guessing it can't be Ignis or Gladio. There is only one alternative and its funny how at the mere idea my heart drops like a weight to my stomach. However, my fear was entirely unfounded because when I open the door- nervous anxiety clouding my better judgment and sweaty hands- it's not the black haired prince I expected to see the one standing outside my room.

I get a glimpse of maroon hair, a hat and extravagant clothes before I'm greeted by a husky voice.

"Good evening, Prompto Argentum. I'm so sorry for bothering you at this hour. May I come in?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: i cower when you're near**

Have you ever had one of those moments where the world and everything that surrounds you feels entirely surreal-that you blink and breathe and function normally but you still feel you are submerged five thousand feet underwater? Well, that's exactly the way I feel right now, standing shirtless and shoeless-bare toes on the ground and calves exposed-in front of Ardyn Izunia, the Chancellor of Niflheim no less. His pose is relaxed, one hand rests against the door frame and his white teeth gleam underneath the yellow light of my room; his robes are still the same ones he wore earlier today, expensive, not ones to ever be seen on commoners like myself. The drastic contrast between the two of us must be jarring; me, in total disarray and him looking composed as ever.

Urgently, I grasp for words that evade me like the plague, for anything worth saying, yet my vocal chords are paralyzed. Unable to utter sounds, I gape unintelligently at the violet haired man (screw his hair, seriously), trying in vain to process the sequence of words that have come out of his smirking mouth. I have a sudden itch below the knee that needs to be treated as soon as possible, I scratch at the skin there with the sole of the opposite foot, buying time, forcing my brain cells to work for once. It's a hard task to make sense of such a ridiculous statement-He has just asked for permission to enter my room. Why even….? What is his deal exactly? Because of this _son of a_ nice, respectful lady, my Sunday has gone literally to the daemon realm wherever the fuck it is they live at. Because he brought that single offer, that threat disguised as suggestion that destroyed my 'happily ever after', shattered the illusion of love, turned to reality a young prince's dream and that dream becoming true, it killed my own. The weight of rocks settles back on my chest, I bite the inside of my cheek and frown in frustration.

Hazel orbs follow the movement of my foot; focus intently on my pale toes that are mildly pinkish at the tips scratching the annoying itch on my other leg. Weary of his heavy stare, blood rushes madly to my cheeks and I don't get why. Then, I notice the maid standing behind him- barely visible-holding a tray in her hands. My eyes widen and I look from him to her and wonder why I'm still quiet, why I haven't opened my big mouth to say something. Anything. Why is it so hard to speak when I normally say whatever pops up in my head?

Ardyn, seeing that he's talking to a living statue, is the one that breaks the silence. Repeats the question "Well, are you going to let me in?"

"Um… I…. why?" I manage to say in a totally clever way. Wow, he must be impressed at the pathetic demonstration of intelligence and by that I mean social awkwardness. Stupid tongue that does not want to cooperate with me. Again, Prompto, this time don't embarrass yourself. "Not to be rude or anything but umm, What-Are-You-Doing-Here?" Okay, that's more like it. I'd pat myself on the head if I could or if it wasn't so weird.

I hope that my bewilderment at this… this unexpected event gets across to him because honestly what the fuck. Just What The Fuck. I've had a terrible day so far and things keep getting stranger and stranger, it's like I can't have a frigging' break because then some higher power above looks at me starting to relax and surely thinks 'Nah, he has not been screwed enough yet" and in a very calm manner proceeds to throw me head first into interactions I don't want to be a part of, each one more strange and painful than the previous ones, into mess after mess until I'm also a mess in the brain… I'm not making any sense, am I?

The Chancellor grins.

"This is quite the unexpected visit, isn't it?" Tell **me** about it "It just came to my attention you weren't present at dinner tonight. When I inquired about your whereabouts, your friends told me you were indisposed and I thought it would be a good idea to bring you some food. After all, I wouldn't want my guide to get sick before he makes due on his promise to show me the beauty of Insomnia"

Okay. That's fine. Except that it's not and I stare even more bewildered than before for three main reasons. One, his wording choice, what the heck dude, that way of talking is from another world, most likely it came straight out of Creepland his home planet. Two, what made him think it was a good idea to come to the room of a stranger in the middle of the night (it's around eight, I don't know, but still my point holds), ask to be let inside their room and also bring them food? Alright, the food part is debatable-my stomach rumbles in agreement-but the rest, if you ask me ladies and gentlemen, seems pretty sketchy. And three, his appearance doesn't inspire much confidence, one would have to be a blind to not see how unsafe he looks: exactly like the kind of man I would keep my children (if I had any) away from.

It would be madness to let such an untrustworthy guy inside room.

Which is exactly what I do immediately after he speaks; in pilot mode I move to the left, clearing the entrance for safe passage. Ardyn smirks and lets the maid walk in first; I just stay standing to the side, gaping like a jackass and questioning whether there is effectively something wrong with me. What are the odds that whenever I think of a line of action I end up doing the opposite to my original plan instead. However, I don't know. I'm too tired, my brain is too tired to be dealing with so much bullshit in so many hours and I just would like to avoid conflict as much as possible. Is there something wrong with that? With wanting to maintain the peace and quiet even if I have to let who could be a psycho person inside my room?

I take a look at the man again. But…Maybe, just maybe, there's the tiny possibility that I could be exaggerating this entire situation. Looking from an objective point of view, I shouldn't really judge this man only for what he has shown everyone on the outside-he is in enemy territory after all, he can't afford to show vulnerability in front of possible threats. Let's say I had met him in different circumstances, if for some reason me and the guys had med him somewhere else, in another time. Let's say he offered to help us and I had no clue he was from Niflheim. Would I have been as weary of him as I am now? Am I being overwhelmed by my feelings, by the fact that if it weren't for him Noctis would still be with me? Or is it another matter entirely?

Ominously, the damned barcode is a furnace compared to the rest of my body temperature. It burns as if I had immersed the wrist on a pot of scalding water.

Well, I'm obviously not the most adequate guy to be judging others on their appearances. Fingers trail to the wristbands on my arm, where I trace the outline of it, feel the beating pulse of my heart. No one knows what I hide there. No one knows the truth. Noctis's eyes, back in the day had looked at my covered wrists and had then looked at me in sympathy, thinking he knew the reason why I never took the damn things off. In the end, we all have our secrets. And that is why all I do is shake nervously in my spot as the maid sets the tray on the very convenient table in the middle of the room and walks off without a glance in my direction. Only after she has left is that the Chancellor steps inside, closing the door behind him with a deafening click that couldn't have been higher than a sigh but to my ears sounds like a grenade going off.

I don't look at him, prefer to center my gaze on the delicious food in front of me (it's safer). Wow, thanks to all the craziness surrounding me nowadays I almost forgot the magnificence of royal food. Astrals, the meat, the vegetables, every single thing on that plate reeks of money and heavenly taste. But of course, as I think that, the sensation of being watched creeps up on me and that is when I remember I'm still half naked. In a room with Ardyn Izunia whose stare firmly trails the barely visible stretch marks on my belly, that slowly traces the planes of my stomach, the slight ridge of my ribs and collarbones and finally settles on-

On the purple lovebite Noctis made a week ago!

 _Oh for fuck's sake!_

Embarrassment, shame and severe worry strike me; our eyes meet and I see a glimmer of amusement in a mixed sea of colors before I turn heel and make a grab for my abandoned turtleneck at the foot of the bed. I put it on hurriedly, heat expanding throughout my entire body-I don't need to look in a mirror to know I must be turning to the shade of a lobster-and his eyes burning holes in my back. I turn, arms crossed defensively in front of my chest.

"I'll be honest. I was planning to get to know my guide better on this social visit but I never imagined to what extent I actually would" His tone is jesting and it rubs me off in the wrong way "I guess it would be too much _of a stretch_ if I asked who the lucky lady might be…" His eyes shine mischievously "… or the fortunate gentleman, perhaps?"

I purse my lips in distaste. Turns out I was right from the beginning, this man is not worth a vote of confidence. Oh, how I would love to tell him where he can shove that tour of Insomnia but I refrain from doing so. Who does he think he is? Any normal person with common sense would have just dropped the subject altogether and not mentioned it because it would be awkward as fuck. But nooooo, he has to go and scream it to the heavens that I have a hickey.

"You'll have to excuse me Chancellor but I don't see how that's any of your business." I hiss out "What do you want, anyway? Tomorrow doesn't mean today" I don't even care for how rude I'm acting right now, I'm pissed off dammit!

He raises his hands in the air at this in a placating gesture; the annoying up tilt of his lips never fading away.

"Snappy, snappy boy" he literally purrs "Did I touch a nerve, was that too close, too personal? Do forgive me, **_Prompto_**. It was not my intention to upset you, I merely wished to smooth our differences with friendly banter"

What a funny way of showing it. My answer is to glare at him. "And I believe I have already told you my reasons for being here" he continues.

"Tell me again, then. I don't think I heard you"

"To get to know you better, of course. I foresee us spending a lot of time in each other's company in the near future and what a shame it would be if we did not get along at all, my young guide and me" There is a threat there…. I just don't know what it is or what he could be implying "And to provide you with nourishment since I was told you weren't feeling well. Although, seeing the way you are now, you seem quite healthy to me." A beat. The creepy smile he has been wearing all this time suddenly disappears "Unless it's not a physical ache but an emotional pain the one that stunts you"

My blood runs cold. It's only a second-the world shifts on its axis, the blush beneath my skin is replaced by unnatural paleness, and the blood runs away, escapes hastily out of fear-but Gods do I lose it in that moment, hanging in uncertainty as that eerie somber face peeks at me under violet hair. It's only a second but I'm afraid that he can _see._ That he knows what the future king and I used to do in this room, (images flash through my head: Noctis pushing me face down on the bed, his lips branding every available patch of skin and my moist eyes as I sucked him off, positioned between his legs, knees on the carpeted floor while he sat on the bed and watched me with those narrowed blue eyes that only spoke of infinite want) that he is aware of that stormy interaction outside the throne room, that he knows all the words we said in despair and resignation.

It comes as no surprise when I seek to avoid his searching eyes and shrug my tensed shoulders "I… I. Okay. Yeah, I'm so sorry. I got a bit defensive there, haha. But you're right, we'll have to get along because otherwise it would be a disaster if we didn't. And I am feeling better but thank you for bringing me food. Which I should eat -right now"

The floor is a very interesting really. All those patterns and colors, how is people able to do this with their hands? I can barely hold a camera with them, ha ha ha… I follow the abstract figures to the table and I sit on the chair closest to the tray of food. Not once do I look up, just shove everything on the plate with a tempting smell on my mouth, not caring enough to use cutlery. Nope, sir, forks and knives are for the weak; a real man eats using only his hands. I eat and eat, forcing any other kind of thought out of my head because it will take me nowhere. It reminds me so much of my ten year old self that I want to sob-of that overweight child whose isolation was so big he hid from the world and took solace in ravaging any type of junk food to forget the emptiness, not of his stomach, but of his short, miserable life. Because that boy tends to over think things too much; yes, the boy walks around in circles over and over and never dares to do anything, too afraid of the staggering amount of terrible outcomes. But eating, that doesn't involve thinking. Eating is liberating.

 _("Don't you want some of these?" Noctis says, waving a bag of popcorns and fries in front of my face. He pops one inside his mouth. I avert my gaze._

 _Grease and calories in my line of sight. The risk is too great._

 _"No, thanks Noct. I don't really…" I shift awkwardly in my seat, feeling every stare in the restaurant focused on us. Every stare focused on me to see if the fat boy will eat his fries._

 _Noctis smiles._

 _"Dude, chill. It's not like it'll kill you."_

 _Oh, but it would, my friend. It would. I deny him again but he gets stubborn, pinches my left side with his index and thumb finger._

 _"I won't mind if you gain a few pounds. In fact, you need them more than me"_

 _He says that and I feel my insides twist and deform and all I want to do is throw up. All I hear is that skinny Noctis pulling from the floor, looking at my obese body and saying 'Heavy'. Disgusted, repulsed by the fat boy._

 _Then a hand takes me by the chin, forces me to look up and meet angry, passionate blue eyes. "Prompto," he pronounces my name like he loves how it sounds rolling off his tongue, like he doesn't know how to say anything else "what are you so afraid of? Who cares if you're fat or whatever?"_

 _He blushes "Besides, forget your looks, you'd still be my best friend, anyway. No matter what. So don't worry what others might think, their opinion is shit either way compared to the prince's right?" And he grins the most beautiful grin he can muster and I'm definitely blessed. I wouldn't mind dying right now, with this view as my last. Smiling back, I pick a fry and eat it ignoring my fear and self hatred just so I can get a glimpse of a satisfied Noctis. Our fingers brush slightly under the table._

 _From that point onwards, Noctis made sure of inviting me to eat every time we hanged out. He always paid and I_ _felt loved.)_

Noctis…

The plate previously filled with food is now empty.

"That sure didn't take long. You must have been starving, poor thing"

Oh, right. Ardyn. Almost forgot about him. I look up from the tray on the table and see the Chancellor sitting uninvited on the chair across from mine. He speaks mockingly, gazing at me lazily but there's a new edge in his irises, one that wasn't there before. I can't stand to look at him directly so my eyes drift down to his blood red scarf. I'm a mess of accumulated emotions; I'm a mess because when he spoke just now I thought of the black bars on my skin.

Once more, I'm speechless faced with this man. The fingers of my right hand shake on top of the table, revealing my unease and my need to keep eating to push the heavy thoughts away. I hide it under the table; leave it shaking on my thigh where he can't see my weakness.

"How… How was it you and not anyone else the one to bring me dinner" My voice is a whisper by the sea, a small rock thrown on a river. It can't be heard above the waves or the force of the current but somehow, Ardyn does. The question is sudden, nervous, the first thing that came to my mind.

His is the roar of a lion in the silent room, commanding all the attention to his words "I simply suggested that my food should be brought later to my chambers, given that I had the pleasure of enjoying a well cooked meal before departing. And luckily for you, the servants in this household do not seem to be well versed in politics or distrusting strangers. It was only a matter of semantics to tell that woman I preferred to have my dinner somewhere else"

Huh. My hands curl into fists. Just like that, just that easy. The puppets on the stage and the smug puppeteer pulling the strings in every direction he deems fit. There is something innately wrong here, in how he said that just now, in the way he expresses himself, how he refers to others-I'm a mess and on edge.

"Why?" I ask.

"I am curious about you" he concedes "I never knew the prince to have such a close friend. Especially one that is not related to royalty in any form"

The shaking stops. My eyes rise from the red piece of clothing and fly to Ardyn's face. That sentence he has uttered; it has revealed a thousand million doors, answered a hundred of questions rattling inside me. His intentions lay bare due to the structure of his sentence, the way he chose the exact words and the exact way to organize them into a bigger unit with a purpose.

As I imagined, it would be stupid of the Empire to not have intel on their sworn enemies. Or to not, maybe, send someone as a scapegoat to lull the Lucians into a false sense of security. Now I can see clearly what all this is about. He's trying to use me to get to Noctis, he's scouting for his weaknesses so then he can use him to target the King. The nervousness and the void in my belly, and the rejection and humiliation, they're all gone for now. They take second place, because I'm unexpectedly getting a preview of the enemy's true colors shining through their empty promises and 'friendly banter'. And I suddenly want to laugh because this means that Noctis's engagement is nothing but a-

 _Don't think about it._

 ** _Don't think about it!_**

( )

"I'm nothing special, really. Just your next door kind of guy trying to get by" my voice is small, meek. I'm not even lying; this is the truest thing that has ever been said today.

Compared to the others, who am I?

Ardyn chuckles, shakes his head from side to side, studies the ghosts reflected on my features "I doubt it. Otherwise, the prince wouldn't have chosen you. Or could it be that his majesty's son has very low standards? Or maybe is he just that dull?"

Fucker. Fucker. Dirty fucker. I wish I had a gun in my hands so I could shoot him in the middle of his dickish eyes. I'm the only one allowed to insult Noctis. Plus, he can grab his passive aggressive insinuations towards me and shove them somewhere dark, where the sun cannot reach.

"Isn't that a little rude? Considering who is hosting you and all. Oh, and the agreement you've made today. Can't forget that" I say calmly. Take that, motherlover! Try again next time, BITCH!

"Nothing is set on stone yet. At least, not until the announcement is made public. I'm sure you'll forgive me this small indiscretion in exchange of further positive negotiations with King Regis. Unless you would prefer to maintain the war?"

The smugness I feel fades away. He can't possibly be implying that if anything of what is being said here gets out, he'll break the agreement, right? I see his smile turn into a sneer and I understand then that he is, the bastard. He's threatening me, threatening the kingdom! Well, screw him because there is no way I won't tell the King what I just realized and-

And what?

My nostrils flare in indignation; oh I see now. If I decide to tell the King, we will be back at square one, still at war against Niflheim and still losing. Whatever I choose, whatever Noctis's dad chooses, we still lose. There is no way to win; in fact, it's ironic how our only saving grace is the engagement between Lady Lunafreya and Noctis that while it might not change the panoramic, it will at least buy time for Insomnia and the rest of Lucis, a few months –maybe, hopefully- of peace. And I feel it finally, what I had not been able to see due to my heartbreak and pain.

It's coming to an end.

The happiness, the safety, the laughing children and neighbors. The kind people on the streets, the joy in the air, the late nights at the arcade, the jokes at the bar, and the college acquaintances saying goodbye, red faced and dreamy. It will all be gone: that small photo studio on the corner of the street I live where I worked on my high school days to earn both experience and money, the alley where Noctis and I shared our first kiss, the abandoned school ground where once Gladio came to my rescue because I was being threatened by a random gang from my neighborhood, the mall in the center of Insomnia where I accompany Iggy to buy ingredients for his cooking practices….This city, my home city, the place that has been both my prison and refuge will be gone. One day, I won't be able to be here anymore, to wake up inside my messy house and look out the window and see the expanse of familiar buildings… One day, I'll have to leave.

This is bigger than just my love story coming to an end-this is the end of everyone I've ever known, of everything I've ever known. Our whole universe will succumb to the forces of the Empire.

Insomnia will fall and soon.

"How old are you, Prompto?"

The question breaks through my reverie, his tone a mix of amusement and detachment however those two might be combined.

He changes his posture in a certain way that resembles that of a king sitting on his throne.

"What? Why?"

I mutter, baffled and confused. Not that my age is precisely top secret information but it is an odd question. Especially coming from the man who's supposed to spy on us for the Empire's sake. I don't see how knowing how old I am might aid him on that.

"How old are you?" he says again, still looking at me like he's trying to figure out a puzzle "Is it safe to assume you are in the same age range as the prince?"

"I'm 20. Born on October 25th in case you were wondering."

Sarcasm is the only weapon I have against him, so no one can blame me for using at maximum potency.

"So nice to be so young and lively." Is his response to my sarcastic remark. I have to stop myself from scoffing at that and I decide to return the question, rearranging myself on the chair which is despite its expensive look not comfortable at all. He is a dangerous thing as he answers, a secret playing out behind his smoky eyes "I'm actually old enough to be _your father, Prompto_. I will turn forty soon, in two months time"

Somehow, I'm left shivering in disgust and other emotions I can't recognize when he says this. His intonation as he said 'father' and my name is disquieting; it feels as if he dragged them on purpose, to sound inappropriately wrong in the context we're in. That without mentioning his expression which is the one that a man with dark unspoken intentions wears at all times.

"That reminds me, I've been meaning to ask you what your parents think of your… relation to the prince. They must be quite proud of you for achieving such a high status"

Poison shielded as an inquiry. My nails bite moon marks on the palms of my hands-I might as well just leave permanent scars there-and don't answer, look at him with a tense jaw and squinted eyes. Gods, this situation. I'm not able to define exactly where we stand with each other at the moment, can barely think outside of this game of push and pull he insists on imposing. I'd have no problem with engaging in normal conversation but he's the one that keeps on with the stingy comments.

"Did I manage to offend you, again?" No. Of course not. Why would I be offended when you've been nothing but sweets and rainbows to me. Note: sarcasm. "Hmmm. I have the feeling that you and I, Prompto, won't be able to find common ground if we stay in this impasse. May I make a suggestion?"

I shrug. I don't really care, it seems impossible at this point so far in the conversation to salvage whatever 'civil terms' we could have reached had he not decided to be an asshole.

"An eye for an eye" he leans forward and I automatically lean back, out of his reach. His brows rise giving him a manic look to his rugged face "If I ask you a question you must absolutely answer and the same applies to me. I'll answer gladly any question you might have. Reciprocation, that is what we're missing. How can we hope to understand each other if we fail to communicate in the basest level?"

I wonder, indeed, how can I not stab you in the fucking eye?! I'm pretty sure I'm not the reason why this communication process is failing, bastard Ardyn. Even so I whisper, just because this is getting infinitely tiring and I want to get this over with "My parents, they're… I don't know where they are"

It's painful sharing, particularly to this man, but I do it because, honest to the Great Six, I don't see how this helps him in anything. I imagine white walls and white floors and try not to think about one of the many absences in my life.

He claps his hands together "That is more like it! What a _good boy._ " Heat rushes to my face. What the fuck is up with all the pet names? "Your turn" he gestures to me with an open palm.

Sweating bullets I think of our first encounter in the hallway, his hand grabbing mine in a too strong handshake to not mean something, how unnervingly close he got to me as he walked by, the obfuscating smell of his cologne and the strange intent in his voice as he speaks now, different from the way he spoke in front of the others hours ago. Here alone with him, it's like he's slowly shedding his skin (like a snake) and I'm not sure how or why I connect him, what I'm seeing, so clearly to the barcode on my wrist.

I lick my lips and blush crimson when hazel eyes swiftly follow the movement of my tongue. Subsequently to that I stutter when I say "W-w-what about your parents?" It's a stupid question. However, it's the only one I can think of asides from outright asking him about what are the Empire's plans for Insomnia, what are his _own_ plans or what his schedule is here. Those are questions I know he will never answer, at least not truthfully. Besides, anything capable of distracting me and him from that weird thing that happened just now works fine.

And it does. His whole demeanor changes in the blink of an eye. Remarkably, he doesn't look mocking anymore but pensive, serious. His eyebrows furrow, his eyes darken, his mouth thins-they all tighten like a mask. His chill façade transforms into one of emptiness and somehow, this is worse than before; prior to this absurd change I could more or less see some emotion within him. Although, at this moment, I'm only looking into a deep nothingness and that is scarier than anything else. Was it even real, the amusement before?

I'd prefer to ignore the answer to this one question.

"My parents…." He echoes, takes the hat off his head and plays with it absentmindedly. He's not staring at me but through me. "To tell you the truth, I can't recall much about them. They died so long ago, you see. They are now nothing more than a faraway dream I once had."

It's the way he says it that truly affects me. I choke on nothing, feel the air flee my lungs at worrying speed at the same time that my eyes water unintentionally. _They are nothing but a faraway dream I once had._ That is too-too-

He voices the thought for me "I assume you must be well acquainted with that particular feeling as well as I am" And now he is looking at me, looking me deep in the eyes and I can so easily picture him, eyes wide open in the early morning, unable to catch a hint of sleep because when he closes his eyes he can see the human like shaped void his parents should have left behind but instead there is nothing, not even that to remember them by.

Just like I have.

Fuck, fuck no. Prompto, stupid blond, don't sympathize with this dude please, I beg of you. Don't humanize him, you're not allowed to do that.

It would be in my best interest to look away, somewhere safer, but I can't. We stare eat each other and I get the slight impression we're both baffled by the turns this whole strange questioning thing has taken. He did say it: too close, too personal. Too relatable. And gods damn him and his smooth way with words, how he put exactly my midnight thoughts into a sentence with meaning.

"I never imagined you of all people would ask me about such a personal matter"

I open my mouth to exclaim what the hell does he mean by that. Or to protest that he's the one that up until this moment has given zero fucks about my privacy or personal boundaries. I'll never know what I was going to say, however, because right then he stands up from his chair, robes fluttering with the movement and I… I freeze on the chair, remain seated as he steps soundlessly towards me. I should be moving, I should stand up, I should be alarmed by the fact that he doesn't produce noise as he moves. There are many things I should be doing rather than tremble on my seat, pinned down by an unknown feeling of warning that tells me not to perturb the calm before the storm.

But I don't do any of the things that I should, I only stare with saucer wide eyes at him as he stops in front of my chair-face a complete blank-, leans down until we're at equal eye level and almost hesitant, extends a gloved palm in my face's direction. I fight against the urge to pull away or flinch, eyes firmly planted on his. He's so close to me I'm stricken again by his weird body odor and cologne that makes me want to either retreat or shift closer to get a proper whiff. I wish I had an excuse to interrupt what is about to happen but I have none, instead I pray for someone to barge in on us. I can't move, I can't do anything but breathe as the back of his fingers brush over the freckles on my cheekbones; the pupils inside his irises narrow and dilate, like a cat staring at prey. Those fingers then travel lightly across my face (bump minimally with the silhouette of my lips and nose) and stop at once to push a stray lock of blond hair -that was glued to my forehead and part of my cheek due to excessive sweating- behind my ear.

The corners of my mouth tremble, my heartbeat is so out of control I'm scared it could crawl to my belly or even worse, that Ardyn can hear its frantic beats. The tips of his fingers linger there, on that space of unconquered skin behind the red ear and slide down to cup my cheek, touch faint. His eyes, I know, are focused somewhere below my own and it's not precisely my nose he's eyeballing. I swallow nothing and nearly piss my pants when fast as lightning his other hand splays out on the front of my throat, fingers pressing on one side of the neck while his thumb replays the motion of my Adam's apple, rubs it, presses softly down on it.

"Interesting" I think I hear him murmur in the interval it takes him to close the minimal distance between us. In a panic, not knowing what to do, I close my eyes helplessly, close them tight and hope that when I open them again this will all be a forsaken nightmare and I can go back to my normal, everyday, mundane life.

First, there is his breath, unbearably hot, dangerously close to the corner of my lips. Second, there is breezy warmth, the feeling of bare skin contacting the side of my mouth and third... I don't let the third thing happen, I'm up and out of the chair in a second, not able to take it anymore. The chair makes an explosive sound as it meets the floor.

A world of darkness spreads in front of me as I tumble backwards until my the back of my knees hits the bed and I sprawl on it, legs open wide and arms flying exaggeratedly to grab at something in order to not lose my balance. I claw at the sheets and when I dare open my eyes, the Chancellor is not standing by the fallen chair; his back is to me, hat once more on top of his maroon hair and one hand-white knuckled-closed around the door handle.

I don't know how he moved so fast. I don't know anything anymore.

On instinct, I call out to him as he begins to exit the room in haste.

"Why?" I sound winded, my voice is a reflection of my messed up emotional and mental state.

He ceases movement, one foot out the door, hand still hovering close to the door knob. His neck turns minimally in my direction.

"Why did you come here?"

I'm gasping as if the breath has been knocked out of my chest. As if I'm again in elementary school being forced to run a track with my heavy body and chubby legs that can't support my weight.

"Why were you curious about me? Apart from being Noctis's friend?"

He turns fully. I'm shook by the magnitude of the glazed look he gives me, of how serious he looks as his stare wanders over me, starts at the reddened tips of my toes, follow to my naked calves and curved knees (positioned awkwardly as they are due to my inconvenient fall), climbs up my thighs, my chest, the covered wrists and arms to the hidden place on my neck where he saw a hickey not too long ago. Finally, his heated eyes find my conflicted visage (for everything that's holy, my freckles must be standing out so much right now).

"Because now I have confirmed that at least the future king does not suffer from visual impairment"

The door closes with an ear splitting 'slam', leaving me panting and wondering what madness has just taken place inside this room.


End file.
